John Letzing

Switzerland

Digital Editor at World Economic Forum

Editor @wef, alum @wsj and @ucbsoj.

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Articles

Countries aim to ramp up defence; economists say that means more public debt

1 month ago | weforum.org | John Letzing

Global military spending spiked last year, drawing comparisons to the Cold War era. Governments will almost certainly fund continued increases by ramping up borrowing, according to the World Economic Forum’s most recent Chief Economists Outlook. That comes amid warnings that public debt is already hitting troubling levels. The wisdom in of much of the buildup will therefore rely on spending that can propel broader-based growth.
AI could make us more productive, can it also make us better paid?

1 month ago | weforum.org | John Letzing

The ‘productivity-pay gap’ has been widening for decades. This disparity between rising output and sluggish wages may only grow further with the spreading use of artificial intelligence. ‘Increasing inequality’ was among the AI-related risks flagged in the World Economic Forum’s most recent Chief Economists Outlook. But thinking big picture could create and nurture new areas of (well paid) human expertise.
¿Cómo sería el trabajo en una economía global reconfigurada?

1 month ago | es.weforum.org | John Letzing

En el Día del Trabajo 2025, reflexionamos sobre cómo la guerra de aranceles y el proteccionismo podrían afectar a la jornada laboral. Las políticas destinadas a una mayor industrialización y autosuficiencia nacional tienen el potencial de crear nuevas oportunidades de empleo. Pero la historia indica que no es fácil sortear el principio de la "ventaja comparativa". Se trata de mucho más que apretar tornillos.
What could work in a rewired global economy look like?

2 months ago | weforum.org | John Letzing

On this Labour Day it’s worth considering ways in which tariff wars and rising protectionism could theoretically impact an average workday. Policies aimed at greater domestic industrialization and self-sufficiency have the potential to create new job opportunities. But history suggests that it’s not so easy to work around a principle like ‘comparative advantage.’It’s about more than learning how to screw in little screws.
Europe just might be ‘uniquely well positioned’ to manage a tariff war

2 months ago | weforum.org | John Letzing

The European Union has opted to push back against tariffs imposed by the US, a traditionally vital trading partner. But it’s also sought to negotiate in the face of the US’s paused ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs and other levies. It’s a balancing act that looks beyond basic economics to navigate a disorienting period. “Liberation Day” once had an unambiguously positive meaning in the context of Europe’s ties to the US. Now, “liberation” has the ring of a warning shot.
Can we come up with public debt rules that work in the real world?

2 months ago | weforum.org | John Letzing

Attempts to spare ourselves from excessive government spending with self-imposed rules tend to collide with reality. As public debt levels have soared in recent decades, these rules are coming under even more intense pressure. Ageing populations, lingering effects of the financial crisis and COVID-19, and security threats have made significant public debt a fixture – though different ways of tracking it are possible. We’ve been through a lot. And we have the public debt to show for it.
What is ‘middle-out’ economics, and does it stand a chance?

Mar 6, 2025 | weforum.org | John Letzing

Digital Editor, Economics, World Economic ForumThe wealthiest Americans now play a far greater role in the country’s economy than in past decades, according to a new analysis. Meanwhile the middle-class population both in the US and elsewhere is in decline. But some countries are pressing ahead with ‘middle-out’ measures that many economists deem essential for healthy growth. Costco is probably best known for $1.50 hot dogs and generic items sold in bulk.
What is women's ‘bodily autonomy’ and why does it matter?

Mar 3, 2025 | weforum.org | John Letzing

Roughly half of all women reportedly lack the ability to freely make choices about their own bodies. In some places they face growing threats to their bodily autonomy. International Women's Day presents an opportunity to reflect on issues like reproductive rights. A relatively recent study traced the success and failure of European regions between the 16th and 19th centuries, and identified something that may have already been obvious to at least one in every two people.
Europe's social welfare economies must now focus on defence. How, is the question

Feb 22, 2025 | theprint.in | John Letzing

Security has long been a priority in Europe. Just not the military kind. The handful of European leaders who hastily convened a meeting in Paris earlier this week to discuss self-defence represent countries now committing an average of 1.9% of economic output to military spending – and more than 25% to social protection, in the form of things like payments to retirees, health care, and housing.
How do tariffs work - and do they work?

Feb 8, 2025 | theprint.in | John Letzing

Wariness of tariffs seemed to have long ago soaked into the fabric of US popular culture. “Did it work?” a teacher asked his listless high school students in the 1986 film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, after explaining the good intentions behind US tariff legislation passed nearly four decades earlier.